Monday 11th January 2010

Detroit Show Pics: Mini Beachcomber

Concept that previews new Mini SUV revealed at the Cobo Center

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Mini has finally taken the wraps off its new Beachcomber SUV concept.

After teasing us with sketches and studio shots of the new Moke-inspired concept car, Mini has finally revealed it in the metal at the Detroit motor show.

The Beachcomber gets removable doors (including the side-hinged boot hatch and a 'spare tyre' that's actually used for storage.

What's most significant about the concept, however, is not the beach-bum bling or the silly name (and silly tyres).

Underneath the concept car glam the Beachcomber is more or less identical to the new Mini Crossman SUV that'll be on sale by the end of 2010.

The production car will get proper doors, a conventional roof-hinged rear hatch, and loses the spare tyre-style extra boot.

The new Crossman is based on an extended version of the Mini Clubman platform, but will be four-wheel drive, courtesy of Mini's new 'ALL4' 4x4 system.

Power is expected to come from the same range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines already fitted to the rest of the Mini range.

The supermini-sized Crossman SUV (think Vauxhall Corsa on stilts for a size comparison) will cost around £17k when it goes on sale in the autumn.

 

[Roberty]

Where's the voting buttons so I can put Zero!

That's Hideous, there's enough tastless ste on our roads with out wheeling that out too!

[MogulBoy]

Where's the vomiting button?

Edited by MogulBoy on Monday 11th January 15:28

[Gareth350]

Yuk!! Hideous!

[Tangent Police]

Oddly enough, there was a classic mini version of this as well.

Was over the other side of the pond.

Looks fun to me, better than a lot of other crap.

[toppstuff]

To all the people saying it is ugly and taking aside the fact that the actual car will have doors and less showcar bling, what exactly is a smaller 4x4 SUV meant to look like for petes sake?

It's a 4x4 suv not an Aston Martin competitor!

I reckon the actual production version will be a decent little car. And infinitely more desirable than the "4x4 minicab" look , inside a Toyota/Nissan etc, that are the only competitors.

[twin sparky]

The back/fake spare wheel, makes it look like some kind of bloody hoover-craft...

Utterly useless cr*p .. I'm fan of the BMW Mini, but this is just for mindless fashion following sheep.

I shall step down

[CTT]

:

[Gareth350]

toppstuff said:

To all the people saying it is ugly and taking aside the fact that the actual car will have doors and less showcar bling, what exactly is a smaller 4x4 SUV meant to look like for petes sake?

It's a 4x4 suv not an Aston Martin competitor!

I reckon the actual production version will be a decent little car. And infinitely more desirable than the "4x4 minicab" look , inside a Toyota/Nissan etc, that are the only competitors.

I can only give a view on what the pictures show, not what it MAY look like!

[twin sparky]

I'm hardly surprised BMW have done this ..... Just look at the X6 and the GT.

[big_lad]

Cheeky edit to fix the formatting, hope you don't mind.

Edited by Bill on Monday 11th January 16:58

[Belfast Boy]

FFFUUUUCCCKKKK OOOOOFFFFF MINI!!!!!!

[AndyM31]

Please can we leave it as a conscept. I like Mini but this is terrible.

[Blayney]

http://www.gildea.com/gallery/minibeach06

A real beach mini. Definitely less vulgar and more true to the original idea. BMW are milking the name a bit too much now imo.

[gdaybruce]

I reserve judgement. Depends if it's just a fashion accessory or a properly useful small 4x4, a la Panda 4x4. Of course, it could be both and it will certainly be pricey but then, so are all BMW Minis. But I do think there's a role for 4x4s that don't weigh the wrong sidde of 2 tons but which are capable of providing personal transport off road and through the snow, without being too jeep like on road.

So I'll wait and see what the final product looks like.

[FWDRacer]

Somebody appears to have blown the bloody doors off

Sorry BMW - that is laughably poor.

Original Mk1 Beach Mini tho' Surf blue as well

Edited by FWDRacer on Monday 11th January 16:26

[Garlick]

England? No.

Hot climate/ beach resort? Maybe, just maybe

[Bill]

Garlick said:

England? No.

Hot climate/ beach resort? Maybe, just maybe

I'm sure the hire companies will be falling over themselves for it.

I like it too, but then I seem to going through a funny phase at the moment...

[MrTappets]

Oh God, this must be what discovering your dad's a transvestite feels like.

[CY88]

Garlick said:

England? No.

Hot climate/ beach resort? Maybe, just maybe

I actually quite like that. In the slightly balmier (and less crime infested) climes of the small island where I live I can see that being quite popular. We used to have 100s of minimokes on the hirecar fleets here in the past, as well as lots in private ownership, together with scarab buggies, Citroen Meharis, Suzuki jeeps and similar deriatives. Probably even more appeal in the med, med islands, South Africa or California, where the weather is even better.


ETA: Its a mindset, people. If you live on a beach, where's the appeal of boring saloons set up to ease the long commute day in day out.

Edited by CY88 on Monday 11th January 17:10

[mylesmcd]

perfect for taking Dereck Zoolander to get a moccochoccolino!